Catheters are flexible instruments which facilitate the withdrawal and introduction of fluids from and to body cavities, ducts, and vessels. Typically, a distal end of the catheter is implanted into, for example, the vasculature of a patient to withdraw blood from the patient or introduce medicaments into the patient. When a catheter is implanted into the vasculature of a patient, the catheter's distal portion is inserted through an incision in the patient's skin through an opening in the vasculature (venotomy site) until the distal tip is precisely located at a desired site. The proximal portion of the catheter remains external of the patient to provide access to the catheter for infusion and/or withdrawal of fluids such as for hemodialysis. Typically, the proximal portion of the catheter is directed away from the venotomy site to a remote site through a subcutaneous tunnel such that the catheter can be comfortably positioned on a patient's body for long term use. To accomplish this, a tunneler device is typically secured to the proximal portion of the catheter and the catheter is pulled by the tunneler device through the subcutaneous tunnel.
Tunneler devices have one end which is configured to securely engage the proximal end of the catheter. Typically, the engagement end of the tunneler device includes at least one extension segment which is dimensioned to be received within a lumen or lumens of the catheter. Although this provides somewhat effective connection of the tunneler device to the catheter, detachments are known to occur during a subsequent tunneling procedure. Such detachments require additional steps and therefore increase the duration of the catheter placement procedure, and may also lead to introduction of air into the catheter.
It would be beneficial to have a tunneling device including a catheter securement device which is capable of improved securement of the tunneler device to the catheter to prevent detachment during a tunneling procedure.